304 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



that the best way is to so arrange his farming that he can get one year ahead 

 with his manure, and then compost it in the summer ; because in such a 

 cold climate, he cannot work to advantage except he has a manure cellar, 

 with his muck stored up, when the work of composting can go on in freez- 

 ing weather. 



It is no matter when muck is dug ; though I think it will decompose 

 faster if piled in warm weather. 



Andrew S. Fuller recommended that the writer should purchase Davies' 

 3Iuck Manuel ; that will give him an abundance of information upon the 

 subject of muck. 



FLOWERS. 



Solon Robinson. — Upon the principle of the old saying, in peace prepare 

 for war, I should like to read a letter upon flowers. Let us in winter pre- 

 pare for spring : so let us talk at every meeting during these months of 

 what we should talk a good deal of then. 



My correspondent thinks the cultivation of flowers ennobles the heart of 

 man — makes him a better being. And so do I. 



Mr. Robinson then read a long letter, full of practical quotations, from 

 L. Norris, of Windsor, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, encouraging to all who own 

 a foot of land, to plant flowers. He is aware, that all will not, for many 

 men look upon the cultivation of flowers as beneath their dignity — as a 

 sort of contemptible business ; and that the love of flowers in a man evinces 

 a sort of lack-a-daisical character. 



Love of flowers, Mr. Norris thinks, may be cultivated, and that it should 

 be with the plants, in all home education. The mother should show and 

 impress her children with the beauty of flowers, and how their own beauty 

 will blossom while they are engaged in their culture. Teach them to think 

 what a fruitless world this would be without flowers. 



The reason that flowers take such a deep hold upon the human mind, is 

 because they are the emblems of love. 



Though all individual flowers are transient, yet the family, is almost 

 ever blooming, even in our climate. And flowers in winter are instructive 

 sermons, written in the snow. 



In spring, what lessons of love are taught by birds and flowers. Let 

 every household prepare now for their cultivation, as soon as drear Winter 

 has passed away. 



Mr. Norris then gives the following list of flowers that he cultivated last 

 season, which he recommends as one of easy culture, and giving a great 

 variety of brilliant colors : 



Truffant's finest PcBomia Flowered Asters (ten distiet colors). — These 

 are not the old single " Chiny Oysters," but the flowers, of which we have 

 specimens over three inches in diameter, and very double, of all colors, 

 from white to a dark red, and are mottled, edged and striped in infinite 

 variety. 



Balsams. — These, too, are not the old single " Lady Slippers," but are 

 double ; many colors. 



